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    Chocolate Easter Cake

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    Chocolate Easter Cake

    This moist and crumbly chocolate sponge cake, smothered in a chocolate cream, is just perfect at Easter. For a finishing touch, decorate the cake with shards of dark chocolate and egg-shaped, milk chocolate truffles. The truffles are so easy, you could make a few extra to give as Easter gifts.

    • Preparation time: 1 hour, plus chilling
    • Cooking time: 40 minutes
    • Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 10 minutes

    Serves: 12

    Ingredients

    • 200g Waitrose Continental Plain Chocolate
    • 6 tbsp whole milk
    • 175g unsalted butter, softened
    • 175g caster sugar
    • 4 large eggs, beaten
    • 150g self-raising flour
    • ½ tsp baking powder
    • 100g ground almonds
    • To decorate
    • 284ml pot double cream
    • 200g Waitrose Continental Plain Chocolate
    • 150g Supercook Belgian Milk Chocolate, roughly chopped
    • Cocoa powder, for dusting

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease 2 x 20cm round, loose-bottomed shallow cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
    2. To make the sponge, break the plain chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl with the milk. Rest the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and leave until melted, stirring frequently - do not allow the bowl to touch the water. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Whisk in the eggs then fold in the flour, baking powder and almonds. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir until evenly combined. Divide between the prepared tins, level the surfaces and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until just firm. Remove from the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.
    3. To make the truffles, place 5 tablespoons of the double cream in a small, heavy-based pan and heat until steam rises and the cream bubbles around the edges. Add the chopped milk chocolate and stir until smooth. Turn into a small bowl and chill in the fridge until the mixture is set enough to mould (see Cook's tip).
    4. Take a teaspoonful of the mixture and, using hands dusted with cocoa powder, mould into a small egg shape. Repeat with the remaining mixture, rolling the eggs in plenty of cocoa to make about 12 eggs. Chill in the fridge.
    5. To make the chocolate shards, place 2 rows (breaking the chocolate widthways) of the plain chocolate on a board. Using a small, sharp knife, shave off short lengths of the chocolate. You will find it easier to do this if the chocolate is slightly soft. If it is very brittle, put it in the microwave for 15 seconds on high to soften. You might need to do this 2-3 times before the chocolate is soft enough to work with.
    6. To make the chocolate cream covering, chop the remaining plain chocolate.
    7. Heat the remaining cream, as in Step 3, and stir in the chocolate and any trimmings from the shards. Leave until melted then turn into a bowl and chill in the fridge until the mixture is just thick enough to hold its shape (see Cook's tip).
    8. To assemble and decorate the cake, place 1 sponge layer on a serving plate and spread with about a third of the chocolate cream. Place the second sponge on top. Tip the remaining chocolate cream over the top of the cake and, using a palette knife, spread it over the top and sides, swirling it attractively. Arrange the truffle eggs around the top edge of the cake. Carefully scatter the chocolate shards over and around the eggs. Keep in a cool place until ready to serve. The cake will keep well overnight in a cool place, but don't store in the fridge as this will affect its texture.

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    Cook's tips

    Chilling time for the truffle eggs and chocolate cream will vary, depending on how hot the cream is when you add the chocolate. It should take between 30 minutes and 1 hour. When making both the truffles and the chocolate cream, take care not to overheat the cream; if it becomes too hot, it will affect the texture and flavour of the chocolate.

    Variation

    You could use an orange, coffee or almond flavoured liqueur instead of the milk when melting the chocolate for the sponge. In addition, add 1 tablespoon liqueur to the truffle egg mixture before chilling.

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